PARTICK Thistle were left furious after the referee at Firhill awarded a soft penalty that allowed St Mirren back into the game and ultimately a crucial point in their fight to avoid a relegation play-off.

PARTICK were left cursing the controversial penalty that blew their big chance to take a huge step towards top-flight safety.

The Jags were 1-0 up and in command through Kris Doolan’s 25th-minute opener until St Mirren star Kenny McLean levelled from the spot on the stroke of half-time.

The Thistle players were incensed that referee Calum Murray had awarded the penalty for Kallum Higginbotham’s barge into the back of Jason Naismith.

However, the Buddies grabbed their chance and held out for a point that will suit the Paisley men more as they leapfrogged Hibs into seventh place – at least until the other bottom-six games get going this weekend.

With both teams on a high from good wins last Saturday this was a big opportunity to plump themselves a nice points cushion before their relegation rivals kick off.

The Jags team was also unchanged from their victory over Killie but they were exposed in the third minute when Conrad Balatoni’s heavy touch gifted the ball to John McGinn to bear down on goal.

Fortunately for the home side the midfielder’s shot lacked the power to trouble keeper Paul Gallacher.

The tension of the battle to avoid the relegation play-off added an edgy dimension to a frantic first half that raged from end to end.

Jags wideman Higginbotham was increasingly making a nuisance of himself with his fabulous quick feet confounding the St Mirren defence on his forays forward in support of striker Kris Doolan.

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Jason Naismith (left) goes down in the box under pressure from Partick Thistle's Kallum Higginbotham resulting in a penalty kick for the visitors

The best example being the Englishman’s shuffle in between two black-and-white shirts as he wriggled enough space to swing in a cross just an inch too far for James Craigen to get a solid connection with his header.

No such problems 60 seconds later, however, as the Jags grabbed a 25th-minute lead with Higginbotham again the provider.

A lovely lofted cross dinked with the outside of his boot dipped perfectly for Doolan at the back post to head home from close range.

While Saints boss Danny Lennon will question his keeper and his defenders for not getting there first – and Naismith for failing to prevent the cross – you have to credit the quality of the winger’s delivery.

It was reward for an increasingly dominant performance from the home side having settled and found their range in their fluid passing and movement.

Yet St Mirren still managed to impose themselves towards the end of the half and former Buddies defender Lee Mair almost did his old mates a favour when his miscued clearance dipped just over the bar.

A lucky escape for the home side but their fortune ran out on the cusp of half-time when St Mirren levelled with a disputed penalty.

You could say Naismith went down too easily in the box but you could also argue Higginbotham was naive in the way he barged into the back of the Saints man.

Ref Murray didn’t hesitate to point to the spot and McLean coolly slotted a powerful finish into Gallacher’s bottom-right corner.

With that last-gasp blow before the break taking Thistle back to square one boss Alan Archibald shuffled his pack, switching Prince Buaben for Gary Fraser.

More changes followed with Saints wide man Josh Magennis a 62nd-minute replacement for Paul McGowan and Chris Erskine making way for Christie Elliott.

And Elliott blew a golden chance within seconds of his introduction, narrowly failing to connect on the St Mirren goal-line with Higginbotham’s raking pass.

Just before that, Jags team-mate Mair came agonisingly close when he dived to meet a Higginbotham cross only to see his downward header take a wicked bounce off the deck and skim over the bar.

Things were really hotting up now as both sides went all out for those three vital points – and the introduction of hitman Lyle Taylor to end Doolan’s energetic shift in 73 minutes was a declaration of Thistle’s intent.

But it was St Mirren who came closest when sub Magennis charged 50 yards up the park on the counter-attack before feeding the ball inside to McLean.

Showing great technique to meet it first time with the outside of his foot, the midfielder held his head in his hands in despair as his drilled shot crashed off the far post.

The woodwork came into play at the other end with nine minutes left when Fraser’s cross from the right found Taylor rising to send a looping header on to the top of the bar.

And with that Thistle’s last hope had gone and they will be the more disappointed of the two sides not to have edged the win.